A blog is born.
Welcome to my musings on pop culture and parenting. I am the Pop Mama and this is a safe place to steal away from your screaming child and get your fix on what's up with Beyonce and great poop stain remover tips.

Monday, August 15, 2011

I don't have a good excuse for not blogging in a couple weeks, except that I was traveling for work one week and was just generally lazy (pregnant) the other week. I swear, this pregnancy is zapping my energy much more than the last one. I'm sure that chasing around a 15 month old (and I truly mean chasing...through parking lots, through the house, away from danger...) has something to do with my lack of get-up-and-go, but I am really exhausted these days. Plus, just imagining what I will feel like come December when I have a newborn makes me really tired. Oh, and there wasn't a ton to blog about in the pop culture world either...I felt like I was grasping for things to write about; some ideas included:

1. Why no one cares that Ricki Lake is getting married again. This was a cover story on one celeb site I scan...
2. Kim Kardashian's Wedding (but then I thought I would just wait for it to actually happen and then comment)
3. The end of the Harry Potter movies -- tear.
4. The break-up of Jennifer Lopez's third (?) marriage. I think it was her third...wait, yes, it was definitely her third because she and Ben Affleck never made it down the aisle (thank goodness).

The topic I thought the most about blogging about was the J-Lo / Marc Anthony divorce, but then I didn't have a good take on it because, really, who cares? He is skeletor-ish and she is still sexy-dancing on American Idol. Besides having two children together, everything else they have produced together has been an epic fail ( El Cantante anyone?)...what would be different about their marriage? I also always found it a little distasteful how soon they got hitched after she broke it off with Ben Affleck and he received the final divorce papers from his ex-wife (days, people, days). My only remaining question for Jennifer -- who's are you going to marry next? It will be someone non-Latin probably and definitely a big name...she has a comeback to sustain.

On a parenting note, Cameron and his dad fared very well while I was out of town for work for 4 long days! Cam was super happy to see me when I came and seemed to have grown-up while I was away...he was jabbering up a storm to me (inevitably telling me how his dad let him eat tons of cookies or something) and pointing to my nose and eyes (he is learning about body parts). When I travel I always wonder if people can tell from my outward appearance that I am a mom (besides the baby bump that is getting more obtrusive by the day). I know that is a weird thing to wonder, but I don't know what gives it away. I can't always tell if someone is a parent. I don't think that there is any badge that you wear that gives it away (except for the fact that I am long overdue for a haircut and most of my clothes have some kind of mark of graham cracker goo on them that I somehow miss cleaning off). Any telltale signs of a parent that you notice?

Being so proud of my son and my family I sometimes wonder if that shows through on my face or the way I carry myself (waddling, these days). I suppose most people wonder what kind of assumptions others make about them when they are in public and alone. Although, I think if the average person saw Michelle Duggar in public by herself, they would just KNOW that she is a mother (and could probably guess that she had a litter of children) -- no offense Michelle.

I almost forgot, has anyone seen the Lifetime show Dance Moms? It is kind of a poor man's Toddlers and Tiaras, but in some ways it is more scary -- if that is possible. The show follows an elite dance troupe from the Pittsburgh area and the director/choreographer Abby Lee Miller. First, you would think that this lady is training these girls for the Olympics (uh, hello Bela Karolyi) -- she is demanding, harsh, no-nonsense and just kind of annoying. Second, the "Dance Moms" are batsh*t insane, particularly one named Cathy. You just have to watch to see what I am talking about. As any parent, I am invested in my child and would love to see him succeed at what he loves, but I vow to myself to NEVER BE A DANCE MOM (or a soccer mom, etc.) This may sound selfish, but I don't want to spend all my weekends and nights at a dance studio or practice for my kid. These women are at this dance studio and traveling for competitions the equivalent of a full-time job. I kid you not. And, the dads never seem to be at any of the practices or competition, so the burden is squarely on the mother. It also costs a TON of money. A lot of the girls in this dance troupe seem to love it, but some are over it and even complain that they are only really doing it for their moms now. Where is the balance people? Lesson of the day - everything in moderation.